Past Tense: March 21, 2019

Snow figures resembling a Mutt-’n’-Jeff mouse combination adorned the home of the Gary Johnsons in Pine Cove in February 1976 after a recent snowfall. But, alas, even mice with cucumber eyes and carrot teeth bow to the Sun. file photo

70 years ago - 1949
Forty-five people gathered at the Idyllwild Inn, attending a shower to help Shirley Wood refurnish her burned-out home.

65 years ago - 1954
Lake Hemet Water Company was purchased by Eastern Municipal Water District.

60 years ago - 1959
The Idyllwild Rotary Club invited the public to attend a presentation by officers from March Air Force Base about what the Air Force was doing toward the exploration of outer space in preparation for putting men on other planets.

55 years ago - 1964
A telescope was installed in the fully equipped observatory Fred Moore built next to his home on Deer Foot Lane. Moore built it to ensure that his youngsters did not spend all their free time watching television.

45 years ago - 1974
Streaking came to Idyllwild when a motorcyclist raced through Idyllwild headed for Pine Cove, clad only in boots and helmet.

40 years ago - 1979
Idyllwild School held a snow-sculpting contest. Among the entries were a flying saucer, a pair of roller skates, the Empire State Building, the cartoon character Izzy and Cecil the centipede.

35 years ago - 1984
There had been no measurable amount of snow recorded for the winter and only 0.04 inches of rain had fallen since December.

30 years ago - 1989
Areas of Garner Valley and May Valley were planted with 24,000 Jeffrey pine seedlings as part of a reforestation project by the U.S. Forest Service.

25 years ago - 1994
Officials from various public protection agencies decided against using an emergency alert system in Idyllwild because of the costs and concerns that an alert system might cause panic within the community.

20 years ago - 1999
Pat Conner, the Idyll-wild Chamber of Commerce marketing coordinator since shortly after the Bee Fire of July 1996, resigned to move to San Diego.

15 years ago - 2004
Idyllwild’s Rotary Anns were donating food collected from stores and restaurants for Idyllwild School students because the school’s breakfast program had been cut.

10 years ago - 2009
Noel T. Winter arrived in town. He was CEO of Whitesands Medical Family Centers Inc., a new nonprofit that hoped to open a Pine Cove shelter to house female victims of domestic violence, those with drug and alcohol addictions and, if space permitted, homeless women.

5 years ago - 2014
Pine Cove Water District directors unanimously approved the declaration of a water shortage emergency plan. General Manager Jerry Holldber proclaimed a Water Conservation Stage 1, which required voluntary compliance, effective April 1.

1 year ago - 2018
Middle-school and secondary-school students took time out of the classroom to express their support for gun legislation. The walkout was for 17 minutes, one for each of the student and faculty victims at the Parkland, Florida, shooting.